I'm a Japanese martial arts blokey. I've spent about six or seven years studying the language and culture and everything of Japan, and while I'm not fluent (FAR from), I'm comfortable with the pronunciation, generally, and the general feel.

So as lazy as this question is, here goes.

I love tai chi, as a martial art, as a means to relax, and as a means to health. However, I really struggle with the Chinese language, and there's only one tai chi class localish to me, where I've already been a few times on and off, and I feel stupid coz I never stay long, so I wanna start afresh.

So is there any other art similar to tai chi that was formed in Japan?

If nothing else, any suggestions on any Chinese arts similar to tai chi or different words I can use to search for classes? I don't get many results on google with "tai chi south Wales."

Hatamoto wrote:Ah, bugger.. I'd like to try Iaido, but the nearest dojo to me is in Birmingham

Think it might be time to leave the valleys behind and head for the bright lights.........I live 30 mins down the m42 from brum and we got sheep here and we used to have mining im sure you would feel at home

I think you're being cheeky, but I'm not sure, so I'll ask if that's an offer for the Hat to come live with you lol. Can't afford to move anywhere right now, and I'm only a few months into ninjutsu, so if I'm moving anywhere it'll be closer to Newport for now. But England seems to be where all the cooler stuff is, got Keysi and Tai Chi and all sorts in London, maybe I'll live there one day.

Hatamoto wrote:I think you're being cheeky, but I'm not sure, so I'll ask if that's an offer for the Hat to come live with you lol. Can't afford to move anywhere right now, and I'm only a few months into ninjutsu, so if I'm moving anywhere it'll be closer to Newport for now. But England seems to be where all the cooler stuff is, got Keysi and Tai Chi and all sorts in London, maybe I'll live there one day.

Sory hat couldnt resist a sheep gag (excuse the pun) Good luck with the ninjutsu dude

certainly the "internal" side of iai-jutso would be as centering as tai-Chi...but hardly in the same ball park...after all Iai-jutso has developed from patterns of defence and attack whereas, though Tai-Chi can and does have combative uses, they are vastly differing.
There is Qi-gung...but of course, again, that is chinese....Aikido is of course an "internal" martial art....i use the phrase internal to be relative to the skills of focusing Chi/Ki/internal energy..whilst an "external" form would be karate or tae-kwon-do....of course both have "internal" requirments but nothing compared to the applications within Tai-Chi-Chuan or Aikido.
Aikido, Ju-Jutso...both have a priniciple of internal training....and whilst iai-jutso will certainly help you focus your energies it tends to be something of a "student based" activity rather than a fundamental principle. If the student wishes to focus on internal techniques, breathing and focus then iai-jutsu will encompass such....it is a state of the students mind as much as the focus of the art, and sadly also the skill of the sensei or their wishes...certainly a good sensei should allow you to focus on internal as well as external skills...
for a "mature" student like yourself..and i use the term mature not in age but as someone who has studied and would have an enlightened view of training....Iai-jutsu could certainly give you similar focus as tai-Chi.....

having said all that...a good knowledge of the breathing and chi cultivation techniques of Tai-chi can be used with any martial art of kata. there is no reason for instance that the kata of karate or tae-kown-do could not be slowed down and used in a similar way as tai-chi kata....and in fact would probably only increase the overall technique through such a application.
i have a few good sparring buddies who will happily use tai chi techniques with western long swords or even with the fluid motions of gung-fu styles.
good look on your path....

A lot of Japanese martial arts have Chinese roots or influences, or the Japanese took the principles of something Chinese and then evolved them in their own way. Early Japanese sword technology probably came from China and was then vastly evolved until the Japanese came up with something far superior.

Sadly with martial arts what seems to have often happened is that the Japanese went down the hard external route which is great on the battle field however much of the real internal power was not preserved in the Japanese forms.

For example when Chan Buddhism moved to Japan and became Zen Buddhism the energy practices (Chi Gung) that maintained the health of Chan Buddhist meditators were not adopted within Zen Buddhism and a lot of Zen Buddhist meditators developed health problems from too much sitting (some actually had legs amputated etc after not moving for weeks)

Interestingly although hardcore Aikido lovers will tell you that their art grew out of Aiki-Jutsu (which is certainly a majr influence) what they dont tell you is that Ueshiba spent a lot of time travelling in China where he studied Ba gua. The entire circular nature of Aikido and its energetic element is most likely derived from his study of Ba gua however in Japanese society its not patriotic to draw attention to influences from China.

Aikido is probably the most internal Japanese martial art that is commonly available.
Shorinji Kenpo also has a certain spiritual element.
Ninjutsu is certainly internal when practiced by Hatsumi Soke and the like however I have never really met any instructor in the UK who has more than a superficial knowledge of the internal elements (The most powerful parts of the internal element of Ninjutsu come from Mikkyo Buddhism which derives from Tibetan Buddhism rather than Zen)

I would look for

Ba Gua Chang
Hsing I Chuan
Tai Chi Chuan

If you have studied aggressive linnear budo type Japanese arts then Hsing I will probably suit you best as it externally looks very Japanese in charecter however has devastating internal power.